Hopwood Hall College students take pride in Lions Challenge

Public Service students from Hopwood Hall College on the Lions Challenge

Public Service students from Hopwood Hall College took on the Lions Challenge as part of a three day residential event hosted by The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.

Taking place at the Altcar Training camp 12 miles north of Liverpool, students got a crash course in military careers both regular and reserve.

46 students made the trip to the base, each one managing to complete the 4th Battalion’s challenge.

Split into four section teams over the course of the three days, each section competed against the other to win the honour of being the smartest, quickest, hardest and most efficient students in their tight knit group. Each challenge was designed by 4th Battalion to encourage personal development, communication skills, self-discipline, teamwork and leadership.

Adding a bit of staff competition into the mix, the students’ tutors were allocated a team each as Section Commanders and were responsible for teaching military skills including camouflage and concealment, section formations and skills for living in field.

Aside from the skills tests and shooting competitions, role playing was a vital part of the challenge. By night, teams were tasked with carrying out field work and reconnaissance patrols in order to retrieve vital information from their rivals.

Section two left the camp as winners, with Tim Chew winning the award for Best Overall Student.

He said: “I am really chuffed to have been awarded the Best Overall Achievement. 

“It is great that staff organised this residential for us, we would not have had the opportunity to learn like this at college.

"I have thought about maybe joining the military before and this has definitely helped focus my career ideas. Hopefully when I finish college I will be able to serve my country professionally.”